What's New - April 2002
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Finally I completed the April update. Sorry for the delay, I went down ill just after my return home from a rigorous tournament schedule. Ruslan Scherbakov |
All this month's new games are easily downloaded in PGN format using ChessPub.exe: open ChessPub.exe, put the date on, say, 5th May 2002, and then click on '1 d4 d5', over on the right. All these games should appear (and the new ChessPub Guides, too)!
You can also enter the specific ECO code, given below, if you are only interested in a particular opening. For those who can't use ChessPub.exe, the April '02 '1 d4 d5' games can be downloaded directly in PGN form here: 
Main line Slav [D16-D19]
Sasikiran,K - Sturua,Z/Open, Dubai UAE 2002 [D17]
Another test of Morozevich's 11...g5!? - White has got better chances thanks to this excellent queen's manoeuvre - it looks like the inventor of the line is right not to be in a hurry to swap pawns on the fifteenth move.
Tarrasch Defence [D34]
The Tarrasch Defence has recently got a very good advocate!
This opening is known to be strategically risky for Black, who makes serious concessions in the very beginning. However, playing on the very top level, Alexander Grischuk successfully proves the principal Tarrasch idea - the activity of the pieces can compensate certain positional drawbacks. It should be also mentioned that he avoids the positions with isolated pawn, preferring the line 9. ..c4, which is supposed to be even more risky for Black.
            
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Bareev,E - Grischuk,A/Corus, Wijk aan Zee NED 2002
We'll consider three recent games of Grischuk, in which he has scored an excellent result - one win and two draws. Firstly, Evgeny Bareev deviated from the set-up, which brought him success in the game Bareev - Gluzman/FIDE WCh KO Moscow 2001 but did not achieve too much.
Lautier,J - Grischuk,A/Corus, Wijk aan Zee NED 2002
Once again Grischuk shows that the doubled pawns over the c-file are fairly good to get reasonable counter chances. Having sacrificed a pawn, he has got all his pieces very active and conclusively solved the problems.
Bacrot,E - Grischuk,A/FIDE GP, Dubai UAE (3.1) 2002
The way Grischuk plays the Tarrasch is a bit different from the classical way. Instead of an isolated d-pawn he somehow manages to get doubled pawns every time - we already saw his successful defence with c-pawns twice. In this game he introduced an important novelty, followed by an excellent pawn sacrifice - at first sight White looked much better but the doubled pawns on the d-file (!) helped Black to take control over some important squares and keep the White pieces at a distance. Yet, it was not obligatory for White to lose the game but anyway Grischuk once again proved that the Tarrasch Defence is still very much alive!
Botvinnik Variation [D44]
Kramnik,V - Shirov,A/Amber Rapidplay, Monaco MNC 2002
An attempt to avoid the main theoretical lines by playing 11...Rg8 in reply to 11. g3 is a rare guest in recent practice but it is not because something really dangerous for Black was found. Firstly, White can prevent this line, starting with 11. ef6, and secondly, it would just be an extra line for Black to study, because he should anyway play some kind of main line and, finally, Black was often suffering - a good example would be the already considered game Eingorn - Onischuk/Cuxhaven 1994.
Yet, the variation is extremely sharp and complicated and there is such a big field for private investigations so this exciting battle between Vladimir Kramnik and Alexei Shirov could raise its popularity very high. Shirov's successful approach would be interesting for all Black's adherents but of course, further analysis and practical tests are required for more precise conclusion.
Wojtaszek,R - Jedynak,R/chJ-POL b20, Trzebinia POL 2002
After White's success in the game Nimzo 7.32 - Rebel Century/Computer Chess Match Tournament, Cadaque 2000 the fantastic Sergey Ivanov endgame of "two extra rooks vs passed pawns" was forgotten for a while. However, young Polish players were brave enough to repeat this crazy line and have managed to advance the theory - now it looks like Black can hold on! This game deviates from Ivanov's analysis only on the 35th move (!) and only to prove that White is not losing!
Anti-Meran - Main lines [D46]
Shariyazdanov,A - Barua,D/13th Goodricke, Calcutta IND 2002
A strong novelty by one of the biggest Anti-Meran experts, Andrey Shariyazdanov, makes one of the deep lines hardly playable for Black. Moreover, it looks like the whole variation 9. ..Qe7 10. Bd2 e5 11. Bb3 e4 12. Ng5 is put under the question.
Meran Defence [D47-48]
Piket,J - Shirov,A/Amber Rapidplay, Monaco MNC 2002 [D47]
A stunning idea by Jeroen Piket. Objectively, it does not have great theoretical importance but it looks too amazing to be missed.
Radjabov,T - Anand,V/FIDE GP, Dubai UAE (4.1) 2002 [D48]
A small but important innovation by Vishy Anand proves that Black has got another playable line to counter one of the most ambitious set-ups 14. Nd4 and 15. Be3.
Flear,G - Kelly,B/Masters, Wroxham ENG 2002 [D48]
In the deep line, which we considered in the games Karpov - Anand/FIDE Wch, Lausanne (m/1) 1998 and Flear - Galkin/Port Erin IOM 2001 I supposed that 22...Ncd7 would be a good alternative. This game shows I was clearly wrong...